MOBO EXCLUSIVE: UK's Rising Reggae Star- Soloman

Born into UK Reggae royalty, Soloman was immersed in music from birth and grew up living and breathing it. As the son of Aswad’s Drummie Zeb, Soloman danced at the tender age of five with Aswad and Shalamar; and made his music debut whilst still in his teens featuring on Aswad’s smash hit ‘Shine’. 

Studying dance at the BRIT School, embracing his passion for music and in his spare time becoming a Junior British Taekwondo champion- yes, that is correct- this chap has drive with a capital ‘D’; Soloman has since toured with Aswad, performed with Leftfield and supported UB40’s Ali Campbell on tour.

This October marks the release of Soloman’s debut album ‘About To Blow’. The Brixton bred artist’s debut is an eclectic mix of genres with rhythmic Reggae at its core. The widely anticipated album features re-works of Paul Simon’s ‘Call Me Al’, The Kooks’ ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ and several original Soloman tracks including the title track ‘About To Blow’ and the insightful ‘Dreadlocks’.

I caught up with Soloman to discuss dreads, Korean Martial Arts and his solo foray into music….

MOBO: Tell us about your childhood…

Soloman: My childhood was always a musical one. I’ve always been into music. We didn’t always have much money, didn’t always have the best things. My dad always used to be on tour. My dad was with Aswad and my childhood has always been about Aswad. It’s always been about music, it’s always been about Aswad. All I’ve ever known. I’ve always thought, from a young age, I’ve always had it in me that I was going to make it, I was going to be somebody. I was going to do something great in music. I didn’t know doing what, but I’ve always had a passion for music. Be it playing drums, dancing, you know what I mean? I’ve always had it inside me that I’m going to be successful. I’m going to be rich. I’ve seen a nice girl on telly, I’m going to get that girl. I’ve always has this confidence inside me that I’m going to make it, I’m going to be somebody. But my childhood, yeah, I had a good upbringing by my Mum. She did the best she could do for me. My dad has always been there for me. He’d tour a lot and I didn’t always get to see him as much as I wanted. I was born into it and that was all that I knew. So I wasn’t really affected by that. I know you get some people that are young and they don’t always have both parents around and it affects them in one way or another but I’ve always been my own person. I’ve always known me. I’ve always had my own spirit. So to use anything as an excuse because some people have don’t have both parents around so they rebel, they get into drugs, they do this that and the other; I was never that because that’s not me as a person. So even though I didn’t always have the best, my parents tried to give me the best which I was always thankful for and I always appreciated the situation I was in and always had it in me, always had a self belief that I could be something or do something. I always thought it’d be music but I’ve got to the stage where whether it’s music or driving a van or my starting my own business I’m going to be successful and I’m always until I’ve passed on to the other side, going to try and be the best that I can be and do the best that I can. So my childhood, what I didn’t get financially from my parents or have the best toys or best clothes, I always got a good spiritual grounding and it was being myself and knowing who I am and always trying to be the best that I could.

MOBO: You made your musical debut before you were even old enough to vote. As the story goes, straight after your GCSE Maths exam, you had to rush off to perform on ‘Top of the Pops.’ How hard was it for you to balance regular teenage life with a career in the music industry?

Soloman: Rightly of wrongly, before ‘Shine’ ever happened, I always had a self belief that I was going to make it in music. I always had the self belief that I’m going to be somebody. So all that happened with ‘Shine’ and me getting whisked off to ‘Top of The Pops’, just reinforced my faith. So, it was an easy decision- Maths GCSE exam, then go off to do music. Any sensible person would have felt GCSEs come first, because you’re right, GCSEs do come first; but I’ve always had it inside me that I’m going to be somebody. This happening out of the blue in the way it happened just reinforced my faith. It wasn’t a hard decision, it may have been a wrong decision but this is how I felt.

MOBO: As son of Aswad member Drummie Zeb, music was a natural option for you. Do you feel under pressure to deliver as a solo artist?

Soloman: No. I’m just going to do me. There’s no pressure. There’s not another Soloman haha! I don’t have to live upto another Soloman because there isn’t another Soloman. So the only person I need to impress or to live upto are the expectations of myself. What I believe in, what I put in front of me, I set myself challenges, I set myself goals. I set myself targets. I’m under pressure from myself to be the best I can. I’m not trying to be better than anybody else. That’s just me, that’s me being honest.

MOBO: Reggae owes its origin to Jamaica, being a successor of Ska and Rocksteady. Bob Marley and the Wailers’ track ‘Simmer Down’ in 1963 and the Pioneers’1967 track ‘Long Shot Bus Me Bet’ are some of the oldest recorded examples of Reggae. How would you describe your style of Reggae- orthodox roots but progressive shoots?

Soloman: I think it’s a mixture of things I’ve grown up with. I listened to Bob Marley, I’ve listened to Jimmy Cliff. I love music. I don’t just love Reggae music. I was born into Reggae music which means I do things from a Reggae point of view in a Reggae vehicle. You know what I mean? I love Rock music, I love Hip Hop music, I love R&B. I’ve got loads of different influences it’s just that I was born into Reggae. I’m open to everything, I love music. I love songs. I like songs that make me feel good. You can have Dance. Put on a phat Dance track with a nice beat and a nice melody, I’m there! I don’t care! I don’t understand people who go, “That sounds really good but it’s not my type of music.” What’s that all about? Music is music. If you love music you go for what feels good and is natural.

MOBO: Your debut album ‘About To Blow’ is releasing this October. Produced by Roachford’s Derek Taylor, the album cites a range of musical influences. Are there any favourite tracks of yours?

Soloman: It changes, it changes all the time. I have different favourites at different times. I think that’s the beauty of it…

MOBO: The first single you are releasing is ‘Dreadlocks.’ It is a controversial song reflecting on the financial crisis and the Government’s supposed apathy and neglect that you feel, has led to the common man ultimately suffering. How do you think the situation can be remedied?

Soloman: I’m not a political person but you get people at the top making these decisions and if it goes wrong, we pay for it. They still have their jobs, they’re still getting paid the same wage. So these bankers, these very intelligent people that helped to put us in this crisis, knew what they’re doing but the main thing with them was thinking about themselves so even though they say they’re working for us they’re not; so long as human beings are human beings people look out for their selves. They put number one first. So is I can make ten million pounds and it’s going to mean that you’re going to be living in poverty for a little while, sorry mate, it’s only business, that’s how it works and I have no respect for people like that because I would never ever try to benefit at your downfall. I’m going to benefit by being good, by being the best that I can be, I’m going to benefit from being skilful. Even though I’m not a political person and I would not go on a political debate show because I don’t have enough knowledge about it, I know what I feel and from my point of view, my perspective, I know that people have benefitted from the situation we’re in. Now ‘Dreadlocks’ isn’t just written about that, it is written about no matter what situation you find yourself in, you need to draw from inspiration from where ever you get your inspiration from to keep yourself up because if you get knocked down, you have the choice to get back up or stay on the floor and moan about it. Where do you get inspiration from? I say dreadlocks but I don’t mean that literally, I mean draw from your strength be it from your son, your daughter, your mum, your aunty. What gives you inspiration? What means more to you than you?

MOBO: You were five times the British Junior Taekwondo champion. Does martial arts still feature in your life?

Soloman: It certainly does. Martial arts give me discipline. I went back to Taekwondo when I was in a difficult situation. I did my teaching course and opened up a Taekwondo class. I managed to draw money in that way and it helped me to cope with my mortgage haha! I started off my Taekwondo with nothing but it grew. I still take classes and draw the positives from martial arts and impart knowledge to my students that they can use throughout their lives. You’re not in competition with the person beside you, you’re in competition with yourself. Anyone can wear a black belt but not anyone can be a martial artist. You have to be disciplined and dedicated in whatever you do.

MOBO: Do you have any pearls of wisdom for MOBO readers aspiring to enter the music industry?

Soloman: I say to be yourself. I’ve been trying. As far as I was concerned, when I made ‘Shine’ I’d made it. I’d featured on a track. It’s all going to take off.. It’s all going to be brilliant, I’m going to be rich, I’m going to be famous and you know what? It didn’t happen. That’s when I was a teenager. I’m here now a lot older haha, a lot wiser and I still haven’t made it and I still may not make it but you know what? I’m just doing what I love and the reason I’m in this situation is because I tried to live my life honestly. I try to live my life as purely as I can and do the things that I think are right and you know what? I don’t think I’m in a situation by accident. I don’t think I’ve made an album by accident, I don’t think I’m sitting her being interviewed by you by accident.

MOBO: If you had the power to create THE musical artist, which artists from the past and present would you use as building blocks and why?

Soloman: I’ve got Michael Jackson, I’ve got Freddie Mercury. For me, when it comes to music and professionalism and greatness I look at Freddie Mercury, which you may find weird. I look at Michael Jackson, I look at Prince. Bob Marley, his wisdom, he did it from the heart.

MOBO: What does music mean to you?

Soloman: Everything, it’s my life. So going back to whether I make it big or not, it doesn’t matter because music is what I do, it’s what I love. I’ll always make music whether I’m singing in the shower or writing down lyrics. It’s what I do. It’s not something that I have to try to do, it’s just what I do. Performing is what I do, so even though I might get nervous about performing or doing certain things, all I got to do is be myself. I’m confident about seeing things through so no matter what, I’m a musician, music is what I love and music is what I do even though I know it doesn’t owe me anything. To be successful is to do something that you love. Music, that’s what I’m born into, it’s me, it’s what I do.

MOBO: What does the future hold for Soloman?

Soloman: The sky is the limit, the sky is the limit for me. I would like to be heard by as many people as possible. I’d like to perform to as many people as possible and I’d love to travel. I’d love to tour. I’d love to be able to make a living from doing something that I love and that’s my goal- to be out there and make my living from something that I love. For me, music is not work. It can be hard work but if I’m doing anything hard, it’s the type of thing I want to be doing. Being a new artist is hard work, to open doors for you is hard work and I’m willing to put in the hard work and be the best that I can be.

Affable, honest, witty and wise, Soloman’s wisdom effortlessly flows like the dreadlocks that adorn his kind self. Marley once said, “Don’t forget your history nor your destiny.” Soloman does not forget the former nor the latter and I have a feeling that the latter shall not forget him either.

Destiny shall remember the Reggae scion in the future, as shall we.

The single ‘Dreadlocks’ is released on 13th September, 2010.

The album ‘About to Blow’ is released on 4th October, 2010.

For more on Soloman:

www.myspace.com/solsplace

Reema Kumari Jadeja ©